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Summary List of stories Phase II Night: Ashes, Metal, And Corruption << chapter 44 Chapter 45 of 75 A Conflict Of Principles chapter 46 >> << previous scene Scene 1 of 2 next scene >> Location Participants Time Summary Prologue | Phase I | Phase II | Epilogue 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 Text Scrivener Blooms, Twilight Sparkle, and Luna were asleep, curled together in front of the waning blue flames of the fireplace on the bedding... but for all the physical comfort they shared, Scrivener found himself in the grip of a strange half-nightmare, half-memory... and it didn't help that the memories clearly weren't his own. He saw massive gears and pumping pistons, as poisonous fuel pumped itself through steaming pipelines dripping tar and the precious poison: he saw countless Soldier Drones, marching calmly across a wasteland of marred debris that had once been fields. He saw enormous mines where crystals and gemstones were being harvested by wretched automatons, beneath skies filled with Thunderbirds and even more terrible monstrosities of metal and machinery. It was all overseen by a terrible, enormous castle that had once been Canterlot, and was now something else: something awful, something made of steel and electricity and evil, painted with the sins of its rulers. Its gaping gates invited the foolish to try and enter, to try and attack, as grinning Tyrant Wyrms watched over the roads, mocking those who dared to make the journey. But there were worse things than the horrific parasites of destruction waiting beyond the ash-coated stone walls, the gate to a pulsing heart and the true darkness beyond... There was a round table, with six seats; there were statues, frozen monuments of triumph and defeat all at once; there was a room of white light and metal, where a metal coffin stood like a totem and a prophet, the Prophet, rested before it, a shape that Scrivener couldn't make out before it began to look over its shoulder as its eyes glowed like spotlights- Scrivener found himself standing silently, half-wyrm and half-pony, in a red-floored room upon a black, long carpet. The walls were made of golden steel, lined with cables that pulsed like veins... and at the end of the wide, theater-shaped room, standing on a raised plateau just a few steps higher than the floor, was Valthrudnir. His back was turned, and he was looking intently out a massive window wall at the world beyond: an electrical storm was brewing in the distance in the red sky, kicking up dust and sending dangerous blasts of lightning arcing through the air with cannon-like crackles. But still, there was also the gleam of drones heedlessly working in the gaping valley below, and they would continue to work even if the storm rolled in. They did their job, and they worked as hard and efficiently as possible... and best of all, they were easy to replace if something did happen to any of the workers. There was a swirl, and without looking, Scrivener felt Luna appear beside him... but he was surprised when he glanced to the other side and saw the faint, glimmering shape of Twilight Sparkle, ephemeral as a ghost and yet still somehow here. He flushed deeply when she looked at him with something like surprise, studying his strange, distorted form before he shook his head hurriedly and looked ahead... but Valthrudnir only laughed quietly to himself, saying softly: "No, take as long as you need, pathetic ponies..." "This is just a dream." Scrivener said quietly, and Luna nodded slowly beside him before dropping her head against the side of his neck. Scrivener closed his eyes tightly as Twilight stepped up, silent but still clearly there, and it comforted him for all the questions it rose in his mind. Valthrudnir turned calmly around... and Scrivener flinched when his eyes opened and he saw the Jötnar grinning down at them, saying softly: "Yes, you're right. You're right as rain. But mixed in are all these memories... and memories are such dangerous things, aren't they? You never know when they'll take on a life of their own... and it's funny, how a person's memory of one event can differ completely from another's. Really, though, it shouldn't be any surprise: mortals are always thinking solely about themselves..." Scrivener grimaced in disgust, and then the image of Valthrudnir flickered before fading slowly from sight, even as his voice continued softly: "The Prophet is watching you. The Clockwork King is watching you. You can't stop me, because you can't even stop yourself from giving me life... foolish writer." "Something's wrong." Scrivener muttered, lowering his head forwards, and Luna grunted in agreement as she straightened, the two trading a look as thoughts swirled between them. Everything felt hazy: not dreamlike, even though they were aware it was a mix of dream and memory, but rather... like things were being twisted. Affected and tilted by some outside force. Like there was some unwelcome intruder, playing on his fears and insecurities... Twilight's shade looked at him, trying to ask a question, then wincing as it found it had no voice, but Scrivener only smiled a little and glanced at Luna. The sapphire mare hesitated for a moment, then she grimaced a little before nodding apprehensively. "We may be able to, and aye, thou art right, it is strange... stranger still that thou art willing to take such a risk, but I suppose that may have to do with the fact we are in this... puzzle." "I don't like it when people screw with our heads. Particularly since we've already had enough to deal with today." Scrivener muttered, and then he looked towards Twilight's shade, saying quietly: "Luna and I are going to attempt to pull you in, so to speak. It's probably going to hurt because... you're not supposed to be here." Scrivener paused, winced a little at how this sounded, but Twilight only gave him a faintly-amused look before the half-wyrm smiled lamely at her and said quietly: "Sorry. I didn't mean it... like that, it's just... I don't like really being seen like this, and... this whole-" "'Tis fine, Scrivener, Twilight knows us well enough even without the advantage of a soul-link and thou can prattle on later. Now come, I need thy aid." Luna grumbled, and Scrivy nodded as Twilight readied herself visibly, still flickering faintly before Luna and Scrivener both dropped their heads forwards, breathing slowly and finding it easier to let themselves fall into synchronization here than it was in reality. Luna's horn glowed brightly as both she and Scrivener Blooms bowed slowly forwards, then slid backwards as they rose their heads slightly, concentrating not as much on magic as they did on grasping the energies already there and pulling them further in, making them more real as Twilight's shade stuttered and trembled, then gasped as it flickered into pseudo-physical form in false reality, the violet mare staggering and flapping her wings once as she trembled on the spot. Then she shook her head out, blinking rapidly before looking slowly up and around in awe, whispering: "Is... is this what it's like for you guys, when you talk about your 'mental world' together?" Scrivener could only laugh dryly at that, and when Twilight gave him an embarrassed look, he shook is head and murmured: "Don't worry about it, I got what you mean. Just... with the situation we're in and everything..." He fell quiet for a moment, then cleared his throat and shook his head out quickly before looking across at her as Luna smiled faintly. "Yeah, kinda." Luna studied Twilight intently, and the mare blushed a little before the sapphire mare asked quietly: "Has thou done any kind of magic that would... create this connection, Twilight? Has thou dared to do... something that perhaps thou should tell us about?" "What? No, no, I haven't at all!" Twilight said quickly, shaking her head with a blush before she looked back and forth, murmuring: "I just remember... falling asleep... and... well..." She shook her head lamely, blushing a bit deeper, and Luna leaned forwards with a slight smile even as Scrivener began to look apprehensively around the strange, alien room. "Oh? Go on now, Twilight Sparkle, every detail is important..." "I don't think it was Twilight, Luna." Scrivener said finally, and then he turned around and gazed towards the ominous, enormous black double doors leading out of this terrible viewing chamber, starting towards these as Luna grumbled and Twilight sighed in relief. "But what really confuses me is why... we're not being interfered with. It feels like someone is toying with us... or maybe just waiting for us..." Luna frowned moodily at this as Scrivener halted and looked nervously over his shoulder at her, and then the winged unicorn hurried forwards, taking the lead as Twilight looked over at Scrivener. She found herself studying him despite herself, and the male blushed and looked awkwardly away before he finally asked quietly: "Can you... not... stare?" "Sorry." Twilight mumbled, dropping her gaze and clearing her throat, and then she stepped up beside him and smiled a little, looking ahead and letting their sides rest together as Luna shoved the doors open and looked moodily out into the concrete, empty room beyond. "It's not that bad, though, Scrivy. I mean, sometimes I wonder if... inside, somewhere deep and dark... I'm really Twilight Shadow." "That story's really done a number on all of us." Scrivener muttered, and Twilight began to laugh, then halted and frowned thoughtfully, looking down as Scrivener winced a bit. "Oh please don't say you just had an idea about something. Let's just concentrate on getting out of here for now." "Oh, worry not, Scrivener. Our impatient hosts have not taken very long to reveal themselves." Luna said distastefully, and Scrivener frowned as he looked through the door to where she was sitting. Then he gritted his teeth as a flash went through his mind, striding forwards with Twilight hurrying along beside him before they took their places on either side of Luna... and all three gazed up to see the floating platform upon which the Norns stood, looking down at them with contempt. Twilight gasped quietly, leaning back in shock as Scrivener only growled in distaste and Luna glared up at them. Behind the trio of ponies, the doors slammed shut, and a moment later vanished, leaving them in an enormous, featureless concrete tube. And above, on the island of dark metal upon which all the same grew grasses and vines and thorny brambles, the three Fates traded looks before Urd said kindly: "Will you not at least thank us for our generosity? We have provided you another glimpse into yourselves... and into the world outside." "Ugly and hideous as you all are. Although two of you at least have the decency to try and hide what you really are..." Verdandi snorted in disgust, her eyes glowing through the holes cut in her mask before she pointed down at them almost accusingly. "Except I find that it disgusts me." "And in the future, you have no choice but to wear your wounded hearts and bared souls upon your faces anyway..." Skuld said disgustedly, raising a hand and waving it calmly through the air... and Luna gasped as smoke steamed up from her body as her coat turned dead black, and Twilight moaned in horror as stitching crawled up along her form like serpents. "You can't escape what is written. No matter how you try and change your stories, no matter how you attempt to thwart us, the Fates. There are points in life called Destiny: whether you run from it or run to it, you will collide with your Destiny either way." "Leave them alone!" Scrivener shouted furiously, stepping forwards, and Twilight looked at the male with surprise as he snapped: "I'm the ugly one here! I'm the corrupted one, the weak one, not them! And you are, for this... what even is this?" "This is us, being generous. Mending fences." Urd said gently, looking unperturbed by Scrivener's outburst before she stepped forwards and slowly rose her hand... and Scrivener gasped clenching his eyes shut even as his body rippled like water, feeling icy daggers spreading through his spirit as she said quietly: "My, you've had so much pain in your past... and so many dark wanderings and imaginings. And it's all your own fault, you know: you're the interferer, the unwelcome..." "That's not a very good idea." said a soft voice from above, and the three Fates looked up in what seemed like surprise to see Nightmare Moon in all her masochistic glory, her eyes glowing like spotlights as she calmly strode down the wall of the tunnel, enormous and terrifying. She had added chains and shackles around her limbs now on top of the gleaming nails and blades and needles that stuck out of her back, and her starry mane had become terrible, swirling blue fire, her red-polished collar dripping its crimson paint as she murmured quietly: "We do not obey Fate in this place. Now, remove your claws from my beloved... because unlike these three, I was never born. I was created, I am surging passion, given life, more chaotic than the physical Ginnungagap beasts and more vicious than Helheim's demons. Your powers have no influence over me." Slowly, Urd lowered her hand, and Scrivener breathed quietly as the pain faded from his being, a twist of emotion going through him before Verdandi said nastily: "Fine. Sic your dog on us when we have given you another blessing-" "Hush, Verdandi. This is not the time." Urd said warningly, and there was an edge of fear in her voice as she turned her covered features nervously up to Nightmare Moon. Verdandi cursed under her breath but remained silent, and Urd turned her eyes to Skuld, ordering gently: "Give them the warning." Skuld nodded calmly, then she turned her eyes down to Luna, pointing at her grimly. "You are no longer a Valkyrie, just as Odin is no longer a god, whether or not he rules Valhalla. Kvasir is merely a puppet, and in a few short years, Valhalla's throne will be left vacant. It is in your best interests that Sleipnir takes back this foolish mistake he has made, abandons the half-demon to Helheim, and returns to the throne. He is not supposed to be on Midgard. His story ended a long time ago." "His blood should not be mixing with the half-demon's... it's disgusting. And even more loathsome is your lack of morals and judgment in deciding to make her a full demon!" Verdandi sounded both revolted and outraged, shaking her head before she glanced over her shoulder with disgust at Nightmare Moon. "Almost as pathetic as-" "Verdandi." Urd said quietly, and the masked Norn cursed under her breath but fell quiet before Urd glanced nervously over her shoulder, then returned her eyes down to Luna, Twilight, and Scrivener. "We desired to communicate these warnings to you: in the future, ponies will die from Clockwork World's attacks. You must let them die, and their stories end. Only then will the road be paved to Valthrudnir's terrible kingdom. You saw him: you saw his world, Scrivener Blooms, how it reeks of evil and malice. Don't you want to stop it?" Scrivener gritted his teeth, looking away, and Luna snorted, asking sarcastically: "But oh, I thought he was much too powerful for us, and 'twas not at all in the plans?" "Plans can be adjusted. Stories may change." Skuld replied moodily, and then she swung her sword once through the air before adding darkly: "I see in the future you're going to make several very stupid mistakes trying to defy us. I look forwards to watching each and every one of them backfire." "Gymbr must be destroyed." Urd continued calmly, putting her hands behind her back, and then she paused for a long moment before adding quietly: "If you desire to survive Valthrudnir's claws, you three must also go your separate ways. Otherwise, Twilight Sparkle will die first, and you and Luna will die at Valthrudnir's claws, Scrivener Blooms." "So what, now there's multiple paths fate and your stories can take?" Scrivener asked in disgust, looking up sharply. But Urd only smiled calmly, replying with a slow shrug: "Really, the choice is simply an illusion: everything is predetermined. We already know what you'll say and do. We already know how this story plays out, to the very end. But I must offer the illusion of freedom of choice because it is what you desire, and it is what my story, my own fate, says must happen. That is all there is to it. Only fools think that talking about having choices means anything apart from just that: it is only idle chatter, ironically fated to happen from the start." "Thou art all bound in chains of madness." Luna said with disgust, and Urd shrugged again before she glared over them and shook her head with a snort. "Nay, my life is mine own, and I shall never believe any different. Thou art nothing but liars and charlatans, seeking to play one side against the other and turn this universe into a sordid reflection of all of thee. Sick and twisted hags, do thou serve any true purpose? Thou art no better than carrion-eating vultures!" "We are survivors, Brynhild. Unlike you and your kind: we were around long before Odin and his barbarians and whores, and we'll be around long after you and Valthrudnir are all gone." Verdandi retorted, shaking her head as her eyes glowed from behind her mask. "Filthy jackals." "Here we are, trying to help you out, and of course you reject us again. Why are you getting so angry? Is it because we see right through you?" Skuld leaned forwards, her eyes glinting beneath her shadowing cowl as she turned a mocking gaze to Twilight Sparkle, who shuddered as she said coldly: "They wouldn't love you half as much if you didn't so willingly give up your body to Brynhild's fantasies and Scrivener's desires." Twilight turned her head away, flushed beneath her stitches, but Luna only stepped forwards, retorting coldly: "Speaks an ancient, vainglorious hrafnasueltir who has never felt any touch but her own!" Skuld snarled and stepped forwards, but Urd quickly held her arm up, stopping her as she said calmly. "Our conversation is going nowhere. We should part ways. Shall I leave you all here, to explore these memories and visions of Clockwork World until you are content?" Luna only glared, and then Nightmare Moon said softly from above: "You will leave, and never trespass in our minds or those close to us again, or I will return the favor and destroy each of you, piece-by-piece, from the inside-out." Verdandi began to raise her head, but Urd again silenced her before she only silently bowed... and a moment later, the three were simply gone, leaving the island floating alone in the air. Nightmare Moon calmly strode down the wall to this before she gracefully hopped onto it... and the moment her hooves touched down in the grasses, the plants writhed and burst apart into dark mire that splattered into ooze all around her, hailing down to the ground below and striking the walls of the concrete tube. Blackness spread rapidly, the walls dissolving into dark night, the ground beneath their feet becoming mire and shadow as the world around them rumbled, and stitched Twilight nervously slid closer to still black-coated Luna as Nightmare Moon said above lovingly: "This is a rare and wondrous occurrence indeed... Twilight Sparkle, in our domain. In our darkness: know that you are most welcome here. That we consider this a unique and glorious treat... that you have a lofty place awaiting you in our dark paradise. And that we hope this is a sign that in the future... we will see you more often." Nightmare Moon looked down with a tender smile as the floating island slowly rumbled down through the air, until it merged slowly with the dark mire as stars began to twinkle in the darkness above... and Twilight shivered, unprepared for the creature's appearance, staring with horror over her now that she was striding slowly closer before Scrivener stepped forwards and began worriedly: "We should leave..." "No, no... not yet. Please, my master, my beloved..." Nightmare Moon half-lidded her eyes, bowing her head down towards him as she whispered: "I know I am not worthy to beg... it is not my place, but all the same... it has been so long since we have had such a delight, such a welcome surprise. "And Twilight Sparkle... we shall not hurt you. We shall never hurt you..." Nightmare Moon looked slowly towards her, smiling, and the violet mare swallowed thickly at the look on the dark creature's features: it was both predatory and almost worshipful at the same time, making Twilight nervously slip back a bit behind Luna as the winged unicorn stepped towards her alter-ego with a glare. "We live... to serve. That is my purpose: I serve Luna, and I serve Scrivener. I am chained passion, only waiting to be unleashed upon our enemies..." "Enough." Luna said quietly, and Nightmare Moon fell silent before Luna closed her eyes, taking a slow breath before she murmured: "Twilight Sparkle, this... perhaps we should strive to awaken. The Norns... likely pulled thou into the dreams of myself and my beloved not simply to speak with us, but to force thee to... to witness us, inside. We have spoken of it, but never hast thou truly been forced to experience... what we are like inside. And I do not wish to force thou to... I... I am afraid that..." "I'm... it's okay. I just need... a moment to..." Twilight shook herself out, then she carefully stepped forwards and looked quietly over at Luna, keeping her eyes away from Nightmare Moon as she said softly: "I'm not afraid of you. I'm not even afraid of... you, Nightmare Moon, even if it's... well, more than a little scary to see you like that. "But you and Scrivener taught me that... no matter what we think, no matter how we may deny it... darkness exists inside each and every one of us." Twilight smiled a little, reaching up and touching her stitched chest quietly before she looked slowly over the black-coated winged unicorn, the incarnation of passion, and the half-wyrm, half-pony. "And you... all three of you, really... taught me that it doesn't have to be a bad thing. That darkness has a place, that it's what keeps balance with the light..." She quieted, then looked up, this time looking towards Nightmare Moon, studying her apprehensively but without fear in her eyes. Nightmare Moon gazed back, loving, almost maternal, and then Twilight finally looked at Luna and Scrivener, saying softly: "I'm not scared of either of you. I'm here... to be with you, both of you, through everything. I'm your friend and I'm your... more. So please. Don't think you have to hide this. Not when... I may not ever get to be in here again." Luna and Scrivener traded looks... and then Scrivener sighed after a moment, saying finally: "Well, since you're already in costume, why not?" Twilight laughed despite herself, glancing down at her stitched body and murmuring: "Funny, isn't it? I keep thinking about... Nightmare Night. I was dressed up like this before Discombobulation told that story... what does it mean?" "Many things and nothing all at once." Luna said gently, gazing quietly towards the violet mare. "Think about it if thou must, but remember this: all riddles will be answered in time, no matter how complex. There is no need to distract or flummox thyself, to allow confusion and strife to take away from the now: trust, instead, that the path shall lead on, and the answers given when the time is right. That is all there is to it." Twilight nodded hesitantly after a moment, and then she blushed when Nightmare Moon leaned in, studying her before saying lovingly: "You are gorgeous, Twilight, but you are missing just one thing..." With that, Nightmare Moon leaned back and flicked her horn lightly as it gave a dark glow, and Twilight arched her back in surprise as a thick black leather collar formed around her neck out of dark smoke, a white pearl clasp cinching it tight as lunar symbols appeared all along its length. And with a slight smile, Nightmare Moon tilted her horn... and the simple clasp curled and twisted itself into the shape of a lunar lily as she murmured: "You deserve a little flair, sweet Twilight... now, where shall we place you in our grand hierarchy? Will you find your delight at the hooves of our masters, or do you wish to be seated higher by their thrones..." "Enough, Nightmare Moon..." Luna said firmly, and Nightmare Moon drew back with an almost-teasing smile before Luna and Scrivener both glanced at the collar as Twilight blushed and silently stroked a hoof against it. Then the black-coated winged unicorn sighed softly, turning her eyes to her alter ego as she mumbled: "But aye, 'tis... 'tis a very nice gift indeed, so I shan't bludgeon thee." "You can if you desire. I don't mind at all." Nightmare Moon half-lidded her eyes again, and Scrivener shivered a little before the dark entity laughed quietly and gazed radiantly over at Twilight, murmuring: "If only you were truly on better terms with pain, or the Twilight Shadow of Gymbr's story... then you could understand, too, how the greatest pleasures of all come from delving the deepest torments... but perhaps one day..." "Enough." Scrivener said quietly, and Nightmare Moon looked over at him and nodded quickly, adoring, immediately becoming servile, and Twilight shuddered a bit in spite of herself... but she didn't know what sent those chills through her, or even what they meant. All she was sure of was that this was a glimpse almost no pony was ever afforded, of the true depths of a pony's soul and psyche... and whether she was scared or excited, she was determined to see this through. To fully understand, if only for tonight, Scrivener and Luna, and even Nightmare Moon... They stood in silence for a few moments in the darkness... and then Scrivener finally smiled faintly over at Twilight, meeting her eyes, almost challenging her as he asked quietly: "What would you like to see?" For a moment there was quiet, as Luna stepped up beside the half-wyrm and kissed the side of his neck reassuringly, and Nightmare Moon lingered by Twilight, gazing at her, rapt and silent... and then Twilight reached up and touched her collar, lowering her head and whispering simply: "Everything." Category:Transcript Category:Story